Scenes and Shocks: An Astonishing Experience about Ethnic Cultures Integrating into Mainstream Society

It has been more than 2 years since my first field visit to Tangail as an Anthropology student. We visited three Garo villages in Aushnara Union, Madhupur Upazila. We visited Sainamari, Idilpur and Pirgachha, which are Garo-dominated villages with other ethnic groups. The 3-day visit to the mentioned villages was a unique experience from an anthropological perspective. Challenges like quick participant observation, rapport building, understanding unwritten social dynamics, etc. were encountered while having firsthand experience in a unique setting. Our research topic was based on the matrilineal nature of Garo society. We also researched the modern-day state of matrilineal heritage, kinship, hierarchy, and property inheritance practices of the Garos in that area. The practical experience of being in a matrilineal setting, while coming from a patriarchal society, was baffling yet fulfilling. Matrilineal refers to the practice of tracing kinship, family descent, or inheritance exclusively through the female line, and a matriarchal society is a social system where women hold the primary positions of authority and power. Garos are widely known for this distinctive social attribute. They are born into their mother's clan, known as "Machong." Both matrilineal and matriarchal natures of Garo society are deeply rooted in their kinship traditions and history. Even in a short visit, I witnessed the changing nature of this unique society under the influence of patriarchal social elements. Talking about social elements, I have noticed that mainstream religions like Christianity, Hinduism & Islam have played a major role in the changing gender dynamic. Throughout the fieldwork, I have observed a slow transition into Patriarchal society. The change seemed subtle but evident. Interestingly, we saw this change in mannerism. For instance, a few male members of the families first seemed hesitant to reveal the head of the house in front of us, which happened to be a woman (Nokhrom). But the rest of the male Garo respondents seemed to be completely normal while discussing matriarchy and matrilineal traditions. This attitude was seen in property distribution as well. Many Garo families now make sons their property inheritors and heads of the houses as well. Male heads are called “Nokhma”. Hence, it is safe to say that the “Nokhma” tradition is on the rise due to the shift towards patriarchy. They still mostly live a matrilocal lifestyle, however, with the husband moving in with the woman after marriage. Assimilation with the local Bengalis and the influence of foreign religions, especially Christianity, are the core factors behind this. The cultural influence of Christian missionaries was mentioned multiple times by the respondents. The wedding ceremonies have been integrated with Christian, Hindu and Muslim traditions over the course of time. Moreover, cohabitating with Bengalis for a long time has influenced them in a passive manner. O’Neil (1997) contends that all cultures are in a state of perpetual evolution, none remaining static. He underscores the intricate nature of cultural change, which is shaped by a multitude of internal and external forces.